ShadedViolets
by Sutoomu
Summary: “Bastard! You abandoned us, Duo! Without a word! You didn’t even leave us a damn note! You’ve been MIA for 6 months, and suddenly you’re back, ‘cause of some kids from the lowers? You never cared about ShadedViolets...you never cared about us.”
1. Wild Dog

**ShadedViolets**

**Part I**

**Wild Dog**

**By: Sutoomu**

**This is actually an older story idea I came up with, which had been written down in snippets, but not full story length. So I'm rewriting it, and I'm very passionate about this story. I've never written a fic like this, so I'm hoping it goes off well. I expect people to like it, and I have quite a few chapters ready to post. Please enjoy. ^ _ ^ **

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Wolf ran as fast as he could down the street, his heart pounding in his chest. He hadn't expected that last errand to take so damn long, and now he only had five minutes before Corrigan would get home from work. Wolf had never been absent when Corrigan got home from his so-called 'work', and he had sworn he never would be, out of loyalty to the kids. Wolf had to protect them, as he didn't know what Corrigan would ever do to them if he got a hold of them. It was bad enough the abuse that Wolf took from his father. He wouldn't let Corrigan touch any of his other children.

So he ran, his feet splashing carelessly through puddles leftover from this afternoon's rain, his sneakers soaked through and a cold wind biting at him. Wishing he had a thicker coat, he dashed through an alleyway, trying to cut his time down and get home faster. Worries ran through his mind, and he almost seemed to be running faster as he went, fueled by fears.

So intense was his fear that Wolf forgot which neighborhood he was cutting through. If he had remembered, he might have gone faster, and perhaps he could have just missed them. But, as it was, he ran right into the trio of Rayvihn gang members as they exited an alley door, tripping and falling to the wet ground as he collided with the side of one of them.

"What the fuck, punk!" An angry voice snarled, and Wolf had just looked up from the ground when a hand wrapped around his hair, pulling him up and throwing him to stumble into the wall. "Why the fuck are you running through our alleys, huh? Who the hell do you think you are?" Hands shoved him face first against the wall, grabbing his hair again and pulling his head back sharply. "You ever look where you're going, bitch?" Wolf's dark grey eyes looked back at the hooked nose of his angry eyed attacker, and a chill went down his spine at the black and red coloring that marked him as Rayvihn.

"Should we teach him a lesson?" Another voice spoke, and suddenly Wolf was thrown back, falling to the ground on his back. Looking up, he only had a moment of warning before one of the men kicked him, his thick foot connecting solidly with Wolf's ribs. Doubling over in pain, Wolf felt a pang of hopelessness. He was going to be beaten, and Corrigan was going to be home, alone with the children. Wolf knew that a locked door would not stop his father for long...

"You made the wrong turn, kid." This was the third man, who also threw a kick at Wolf. This one connected with his face, smashing into his nose and eye. Wolf saw black as his head was thrown back from the force, and as his vision began to blur back, he felt liquid streaming down his cheek.

"Look at him," his first assailant laughed. "Pathetic!" Wolf felt like screaming in agony. Not at the pain, as he had endured beatings worse than this and had scars to prove it, but at the fact that he was once again helpless to fix his situation. No matter how hard he tried, the damn fates turned on him, cursing him to this life. Wolf wished so desperately, every day, that he could find a way to change things. Wolf didn't want his brothers to ever endure this kind of shame and pain.

More boots came his way, striking him in the back and stomach, and his skull. Then he was being dragged to his feet again, shoved against the wall again, his skull smashed back against the bricks. More black spotted his vision, and Wolf felt light headed, until a solid fist struck his jaw, and he tasted blood.

Wolf was angry, angry at everything. He was angry at Corrigan for existing, angry at every idiotic moron in this damn neighborhood he lived in. The lowers was hell, and he wished them all to hell. Wolf suddenly glowered at his attacker, and he spit. Blood mixed saliva struck the man's cheek, and he swore in disgust and anger, striking Wolf again, and again.

Then he was suddenly gone, the grip vanishing. Wolf fell to the ground in exhaustion and pain, then looked up with blurry vision to see a new stranger in the mix. This man, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, was currently kicking the shit out of all three Rayvihn members, yelling and cursing at them as he easily deflected their minor attacks and struck them back.

"Fucking bullies!" He was growling at one of them as he slammed his knee into a nose. "Why don't you go back to your cesspits and fight with your druggies? Beating on random kids…"

Wolf then saw one pull a knife, advancing from behind the stranger. "Look out!" Wolf warned, and the man turned in time to grab the gang members arm, twisting it sharply and pulling the knife from his hand. Striking him twice in the nose, the helpful stranger shoved him down the alley, knocking the other two back with him after. Wolf stared, surprised by the skilled maneuver he had just witnessed.

"I'll break your skulls in if I see you here again!" He shouted after them, then began muttering to himself. "Damn little punks…dirty pieces of garbage, rotting up the city…"

Wolf exhaled, his clarity having returned to him. Moving to stand, he groaned as his ribs complained sharply. In a moment, the stranger was at his side, helping him get up. "You look like hell," he commented with a compassionate grin.

"I feel like hell," Wolf exhaled, then removed himself from the helping hands. "Thanks for stepping in." Limping from one good kick to the thigh, he exhaled, thanking the heavens that it was over. The pain was still all too real, but at least it had stopped coming.

"You're rather tough," the stranger looked at him with almost admiration, and Wolf took a second glance at his mysterious rescuer. The man stood in all black clothes, like many people living in the lowers, although his looked clean and expensive. He wore combat boots and fingerless gloves, and a pair of sunglasses were pushed up on his head, revealing his violet eyes under chocolate brown bangs. But the oddest thing about this man was his hairstyle. A thick braid stretched down behind him, hanging to his ass, at least. Wolf had never before seen a man with a braid that long and thick…

"Yeah, I guess," Wolf sighed.

"I'm Duo. How did you get in the middle of them?"

Wolf nearly blushed as he thought of that stupid reason. "I was running, and I hit one of them."

Duo shook his head. "Damn, kid…why were you running?" He looked almost like he cared, as he was listening intently, watching him moving in pain with a look of empathy.

"I have to get home," Wolf said, all this reminding him even more about his worry. The fear was back and stronger than before. "I have to go, now."

"Sure, no problem," Duo nodded. "Look, if you get into any sort of trouble, just come to me, 'kay? I'll take care of things for you."

"I'll be fine," Wolf shook his head, wondering why this stranger was offering such a large token. He didn't even know who Wolf was. "Thank you again. Bye." And Wolf set off running, at a slower pace, down the alley.

"I live in Rosethorn Alley!" Duo called after him. "Number twenty-two! If you need anything…"

Wolf kept running, until Duo was out of earshot and he was out on the main streets again. His bloodied face and limp drew him some attention, but the few glances he got were either ones of distanced pity or of complete uncaring. Wolf couldn't pay attention to his pains, or his injuries, or the odd stranger and event that had just occurred. Corrigan had been home with the kids for over fifteen minutes now, and anything could have happened. Wolf had to get there fast, as fast as he could. But he could only push his hurt body so much!

It was another ten minutes before he rounded the corner and saw the run down house called 'home'. The street was dark, as half the lights in this part of town hadn't worked for years, and Wolf heard the shouts and noises of the lowers as he approached his home. Slipping inside, he pulled off his dirty coat and soaked shoes, throwing them aside as he hurried into the livingroom and hall.

"Corrigan?" He called out, wondering where his father was. It was a usual work night, so Corrigan wouldn't be out at the bar or drug haven. Instead, he'd be drunk or high already. Usually the big man screamed for supper and sat down in front of the TV for a few hours, complaining ever so often, but otherwise leaving them be, mostly. "Corrigan!" Wolf walked down the hall to the room where all the kids slept, checking to make sure the door was locked. Sighing with relief when he saw it was, he turned and stopped suddenly. Corrigan was standing behind him, not five feet away, his dark brown eyes shining with a strange emotion underneath his shaggy hair.

"Where've you been, dog?" Corrigan smiled, and Wolf felt another chill shoot down his spine, his stomach sinking with a bad feeling. "You're late." Corrigan's eyes made note of his eldest son's injuries. "And rather beat up, at that." Wolf swallowed as he looked at his father, who stood a good foot and a half above him, and had three times the strength.

"Corrigan…"

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**And that is the first installment of ShadedViolets. Please stop to review before going on to read Part II - Desperate Measures, thanks. ^ _ ^**

**Storm**


	2. Desperate Measures

**ShadedViolets**

**Part II**

**Desperate Measures**

**By: Sutoomu**

**This is the second installment of ShadedViolets. This will explain a bit more about Wolf's home life, and introduce the first dilemma in our character's story line, as well as some other 'smaller' side characters. As I mentioned, I don't usually write this style, so I hope it is good enough to satisfy your reading crave. Enjoy! ^ _ ^**

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"Corrigan…what do you want?" It was a sentence Wolf asked Corrigan every day, and he did whatever his father told him to, as long as it kept him away from the rest of the kids. As long as they were safe, he would endure everything. Wolf would do anything for them.

"What do I want….?" Corrigan laughed after his pause, then he sprung forward, pinning Wolf against the door. Wolf caught the glint of steel just before the cold blade touched his skin. Corrigan's smile grew as he pressed the blade against Wolf's neck. "What I want, dog, is the key to that fucking room…now!"

"What…why?" Wolf's eyes stared at Corrigan, worry and fear lighting them up. "We…we have a deal…"

"I have no fuckin' deal, so just tell me, now!" Corrigan shouted again, pushing the blade a little harder. Wolf felt his skin breaking under the sharp steel, a rivulet of blood creeping down his neck. "I've got an appointment to keep with those kids, and you're not standing in the way this time, Wolf," Corrigan growled.

"Appointment?" Wolf persisted, desperate to know what Corrigan was planning to do with his brothers and sister.

"Yeah," Corrigan chuckled, and Wolf smelled the strong scent of whiskey on his father's breath. "See, after wasting seventeen years on your worthless ass, I've realized I really don't want to keep you. You, or any of them. In an hour, the lady from the whorehouse will be here to collect Kitten and start her training, and the boys are going to the Wraiths tomorrow. See, I figure I'm at least getting a profit out of all those wasted years, that way." Corrigan laughed as Wolf's look became angry. "Did you actually think I was going to keep supporting all your asses forever? Our deal was never anything, kid."

"No!" Wolf shouted, only to have actual pain begin to blossom from his neck.

"Tell me now, or I'll just kill you and tear the fuckin' house apart!" Corrigan snapped, his solid six foot frame pinning Wolf's lithe body painfully to the door.

Wolf gasped, desperately trying to think of something to do. What could he do! "It's…the key's in the bathroom, in the toilet tank…"

Corrigan stared at Wolf with a smile for a moment, then laughed. His hand moved and Wolf felt pain flash across his face as the knife tore through his outer skin, running a red line down across from his eyebrow to his cheekbone. Wolf gasped as Corrigan dropped him, and the man went down the hall to the bathroom, laughing in his personal amusement. Wolf breathed heavily, his mind racing for ideas, for a plan, for a way to save his family. Grabbing at his bleeding face, he stood and stumbled into the kitchen, rifling around in the drawers for his desired object.

Then he finally found it, his bloody fingers gripping the handle of the five inch knife tightly. It was the longest knife they had, and the sharpest, and Wolf didn't even know if this could stop Corrigan…but he had to try. There was no way in hell that Wolf was letting Kitten go to the whorehouse, or his brothers to the damn Wraiths!

"Wolf!" Corrigan's angry yell came through the hall. "Come here, you li'l bastard!"

Wolf complied, limping out of the kitchen with the knife tucked inside his sleeve. He needed to make Corrigan think he was still scared, still helpless, a weak thing that Corrigan had no fear of. "What do you want?" Wolf asked it again, looking down at Corrigan's feet as though being humble.

Corrigan grabbed his shoulder and shoved him down the hall, easily propelling Wolf smaller form quite a few feet. "Let's go," he ordered, his sick grin back on his hard face. "Since you're on the streets tonight, let's enjoy one last go at it, huh?" Corrigan laughed as he pushed Wolf into his bedroom. "Hell, I might even have a go at little Bear, before the Wraiths take him." Corrigan shook the key with personal glee before sliding it into his pocket. "I've always wanted to punish that little brat."

Wolf swallowed in fear and adrenaline as he prepared for what he had to do, climbing onto the bed as Corrigan ordered and waiting tensely as Corrigan neared. It was now, or never, as Corrigan pushed Wolf back onto the bed, pressing his lips roughly against Wolf's. Without a second thought, Wolf gripped the handle and slammed it upwards. The sound of pierced flesh and the warm splash of blood leaked down Wolf's hand. As he saw Corrigan's expression change to one of painful shock, the man's fist closing around Wolf's shirt collar as his breath halted, Wolf closed his eyes, and did it again, ripping the blade out and thrusting it into flesh, then again, and again. Five times he thrust the knife, and by the time Corrigan went limp, tears were streaming from Wolf's eyes, tears of anger and adrenaline and shock. Pushing Corrigan's bloody body off of him, Wolf slid to the floor beside the bed, dragging his bloody hands along the carpet as he shook and trembled violently.

Never before had he done such a thing…oh, help him, what had he done?

As the harsh reality struck him forcefully, Wolf swallowed back his tears. He had to go, and he had to go now. They all had to go. In an hour, that lady would be here for his little sister, and Wolf knew there was no way in hell that Kitten would be here to take. In an hour Wolf would be somewhere far away, running, and hiding from those who would hunt for Corrigan's killer. His father was slightly important in the underworld of the lowers. Important enough that they would look for the killer for at least a small while.

Rising quickly, Wolf wiped away his tears and began to move. The first thing he had to do was clean up, so he didn't scare the hell out of the kids. Wincing as he looked in the mirror, Wolf gently touched the mark Corrigan had just left on him. His skin stung along the red line that the knife had left behind, and Wolf sighed as he accepted the fact that he was going to definitely have a scar going across his cheek, eye, and brow. Scars were nothing new, not even on his face. A white line from six years ago went down his face beside his ear, from a particularly vicious night, and another gouge marked his temple from a beating two years ago. There were many more he could list off, but he shut down that track of mind and focused on getting out of here.

Once the blood was cleaned from his face and hands, and his blood soaked shirt changed, he went back to Corrigan's body. Digging the key out from his pocket, Wolf left Corrigan's room and locked the door, then unlocked his own room.

"What happened?" Bear was waiting at the door, his bright green eyes alert and sharp as they stared at Wolf. "I heard him yelling. What did he do to you?" Bear was alarmed at the sight of the cut.

Wolf brushed back Bear's dark brown bangs. "Nothing. It's fine, now."

"Something happened, I know it did!" Bear insisted. "Tell me!"

"Look, Bear, I'll talk to you about it later, okay? Right now, we have to pack," Wolf entered the room to see Fox and Kitten sitting on the far bed, Kitten huddling under a blanket.

"Pack?" Fox piped up. "Why? And why's your face cut?"

"It will heal, and nevermind that," Wolf ordered. "Just get your backpacks for me, 'kay? Quick."

In ten minutes Wolf had packed up their clothes and things, dressing them all in their warmest outfits for the walk ahead of them. Bear helped Kitten and Fox get their jackets and boots on as Duo filled his own two big satchels with food from the cupboards, and clothes for himself and Lexie. She was his last stop before they left, and he smiled at his angel as he dressed her warmly and slipped her into the homemade carrier he wore around his back.

"Okay, let's go," Wolf pulled his own shoes on, taking Corrigan's thick coat to protect himself better before opening the door to the darkness outside. Stepping out into the cold wind, he began walking down the street, Lexie on his back, and Bear, Fox, and Kitten following closely behind him, each holding a full backpack. "Stay close, guys, don't fall behind."

"Where are we going, Wolf?" Fox asked, running up to walk beside his older brother. "Are we moving?"

"Yeah," Wolf nodded, agreeing. "You could say we're moving."

"Where to?" Fox asked more questions. "Did dad find a new house?"

"No, dad didn't find a house," Wolf shook his head. "Dad's not going to live with us anymore."

"No more daddy?" Kitten asked from behind him.

"That's right, babe," he replied to her. "No more daddy."

"It's dark, Wolf," Fox continued. "Where are we going to sleep tonight?"

"Don't worry about it, Fox," Wolf assured his brother as they put another street between them and home.

"But it's going to rain!" Fox whined, looking up at the dark clouds blocking the stars. He was right, as the cold wind had the distinct smell of a coming storm, and the air was damp. "I don't want to get wet, Wolf! Do we have to sleep outside?"

"No, you don't have to sleep outside," Wolf wasn't sure if that would be a lie or a truth, but he was going to try his hardest to make it true. The thought of his kids sleeping in the rain, on the dangerous lower streets, struck a pain more intense in his heart than any beating. But what could he do? Where could he go, with four children in tow?

"We're homeless, aren't we?" Fox cried out. "We're gonna end up in jail!"

"I told you to stop worrying!"

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**Did you like? Please make a review if you did. ^ _ ^ I, personally, have an attachment to my little troupe of 'animals'. But for those of you wishing for a GW character, read on ahead to Part III - Searching For Safety, and you'll get one. Thanks for reading!**

**Storm**


	3. Searching For Safety

**ShadedViolets**

**Part III**

**Searching For Safety**

**By: Sutoomu**

**Third installment of ShadedViolets, and our first GW character is back to stay now. I hope you are liking the story so far, as I plan to keep on writing for quite a while on this one, as I'm really enjoying it, and I have a long plot planned ahead of me. Please enjoy the third part. **

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"I told you to stop worrying!" Wolf stopped sharply as he shouted, feeling like he was snapping in two. Lexie instantly began to cry on his back, startled by his loud voice, and Kitten was whimpering behind a wary Bear. Wolf realized what he had done and turned, looking at Fox with remorse in his eyes. "I'm sorry." The look of startled fear on Fox's face was heartbreaking, not unlike the look Fox usually had with Corrigan. "I…I'm just trying to figure this all out, okay? I'm gonna take care of us, just give me a chance."

Fox nodded and took Wolf's offered hand, latching onto his brother tightly. Lexie was hushed and Kitten was comforted, and they continued to walk in silence as Wolf's heart beat furiously inside him. Keeping the panic at bay, his mind raced with questions, desperate questions that he didn't have an answer for. Where were they going to go? Who in their right mind would help out four kids and a crazed, murdering teenager?

Who in their right mind would help a teenager being beaten by Rayvihn gang members? Words echoed in Wolf's mind suddenly. _'…I live in Rosethorn Alley…number twenty-two…if you need anything…I'll take care of things for you…'_ But Wolf didn't even know the man…that reason alone didn't seem to be enough to stop him, though, as Wolf knew he was going there the moment he had remembered. Why he could take this risk, he didn't know, but Wolf didn't second guess his decision, once made.

Wolf had to think about the direction for a moment, trying to remember which section of the lowers Rosethorn Alley was in. After some recollection, he set off in the general east direction, holding Fox and Kitten's hand as Bear walked just ahead of him. It was very dark now, and more-so since the streetlights tended to fade in and out, randomly dropping their sections into temporary darkness. Kitten was silent, her thumb in her mouth as she held her only teddy bear tightly under her arm. Fox didn't seem to want to talk anymore since Wolf had yelled, and Bear was a wary sort of silent, his grey eyes scanning the dark streets with great fear.

Wolf was relieved to find it a quiet night. He heard no gunshots, no screams of fear or pain, and saw no shadows following them. There was still the druggies running down the back alleys on their deliveries, and the prostitutes and their pimps at the corners, and plenty of drunks stumbling along, but their small group successfully avoided these people, keeping themselves silent and unnoticed. Before he knew it, they were halfway across the lowers, and getting close to Rosethorn Alley, he was sure.

"Wolf," Kitten's soft voice broke the quiet still around them. "I'm tired."

Wolf exhaled, then he reached down and picked her up with his one arm, situating her not-so-light weight around until he held her comfortably. She touched his fresh wound lightly before setting her head down and closing her eyes, obviously exhausted from walking for the past hour.

"I feel rain, Wolf," Fox looked up, then he nodded as another drop hit his nose. "Wolf, it's raining!"

Wolf, too, felt the raindrops hitting his face, and he exhaled, wondering if it was all just going to get worse before it got better. If it ever got better. "Don't worry, guys, we're almost there." Rosethorn had to be the next one, or the one after that, or the next. Wolf knew they were close to it…

"Yeah, but where is 'there'?" Bear asked in a sigh, and Duo realized that Fox and Bear were just as tired as Kitten. They were all exhausted, and now getting wet on a night with a chill wind.

"Close," Wolf replied vaguely, his eyes searching for the next alley. But the next one wasn't Rosethorn, and neither was the one after that, or the one after that. Wolf began to question if he had gone the right way at all, or if he had missed Rosethorn by miles, and then he saw it. Their coats were soaked and Lexie was crying loudly, despite being covered by the hood, but they were there. The sign said so, proclaiming 'Rosethorn Alley' in bright white letters, and Wolf felt a great amount of relief hit him inside. "We're here."

"Here? Why are we going to an alley?" Fox asked. "I don't want to sleep in an alley, Wolf!"

"We're not sleeping in it," Wolf assured him before Fox could panic. At least, he hoped not… "We need number twenty-two."

"I'll find it," Bear offered, but Wolf shook his head sharply.

"Don't you go farther than five feet from me, Bear," he told them sharply. "None of you." Wolf looked down the dark alley, hoping to whatever higher power there was that this wasn't just a cruel joke Duo was pulling on him. If this was going to end up a joke, Wolf was not laughing. "C'mon," he started walking in, inhaling deeply.

The alley was remarkably clean once they got deeper into it, considering the lowers usual state, and the doors all had tiny lights lit above them to reveal their numbers. Wolf felt a slight beam of optimism attempt to heal his broken heart at the pleasant look, and it was easy to find number twenty two. Wolf stopped in front of it and his heart skipped a beat, a deep panic threatening to settle in suddenly. What if Duo turned them away? What if he wasn't home? It had only been two and a half hours since he had met him. Maybe he was still out…

Bear was watching Wolf, and finally he sighed, stepping in front of his brother and knocking hard on the door. Wolf's heart began to race as there was silence, then they heard footsteps behind the door, and it swung inwards to reveal that freshly familiar face. Duo's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Wolf, and his injured face, and Wolf's instinct was to run away as fast as he could. But he was stuck holding Kitten, staring into his rescuer's eyes once again. Guilt crept into his heart, and he swallowed nervously.

"Who are you?" Fox asked suddenly, taking Duo's attention towards the three children he saw.

"I'm Duo," he grinned at them with the ease of one who was good with children. "And you must be cold, wet, and tired, right? Get in here," he stepped back to clear the way into the small apartment. "You guys must be crazy to be walking in this weather. C'mon inside." Duo directed the entire posse into his small entrance, directing them where to hang their coats and put their shoes and bags. "Just go on in there," he pointed to the livingroom entrance. "I got some blankets on the couch. Go get warm with those."

Three pairs of eyes looked to Wolf, and he nodded, gesturing them to go ahead. Smiles bloomed as they ran into the livingroom, and Wolf moved to pull Lexie off his back, avoiding Duo's attached gaze. Her cries had settled as she felt warmth and dry again, but she was still pouting in unhappiness as Wolf held her, kissing her forehead gently.

"Who's the angel?" Duo asked, his attention distracted for another moment as he looked at Lexie. "How old is she?"

"Lexie," Wolf replied. "She's almost a year and a half."

"You're a cute thing," Duo told her, and she buried her face shyly in Wolf's shoulder. "So, to what to I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I'm sorry," Wolf blushed, his guilt seeping deeper. "I don't mean to unload a pack of wet kids on you...I had nowhere else I could go…"

Duo's expression softened, and he exhaled slowly. "Give me a couple minutes, and we can talk in the kitchen, 'kay?"

Wolf nodded, following Duo into the livingroom. A smile forced itself on his face as he saw his siblings, all three wrapped under a thick, heavy blanket, cuddled together as they had always been. It vanished as Duo reappeared from the kitchen with a plate of cookies and three glasses of milk on a tray, placing it in front of the kids.

"What are those?" Fox leaned forward, instantly curious.

"What do you mean?" Duo chuckled. "They're cookies, little man. Chocolate chip fudge, to be precise, a delicious snack to eat with milk. Help yourselves." Fox snatched three from the plate and took a large bite, a look of immense pleasure coming over his expression. Bear and Kitten were more reserved, and Kitten looked to Wolf for permission. He couldn't help but nod, even though this made him feel guiltier. Now Duo was even feeding his kids, voluntarily. He did so much without thinking about the fact they were strangers.

"Don't eat too much," Wolf warned as Duo gestured him into the kitchen, but the plate was already empty, every cookie in a small hand. Wolf set Lexie down on Bear's lap, and Bear was glad to have her, feeding her cookies with caring attention. Wolf gave Kitten a loving pet, then followed Duo, who shut the door mostly to give them privacy.

"Want a cookie?" Duo offered one from the jar, but Wolf declined. Duo shrugged and bit into one, observing Wolf as he chewed. "So," he swallowed. "What's their names?"

"Bear is the oldest, and then Fox, and Kitten," Wolf replied.

"Hm. And what's your name?" Duo asked next, and Wolf started.

It was true, though. Wolf had never told Duo who he was, not once. "I'm Wolf Graves."

"Wolf," Duo nodded. "Nice to finally know. You're all named after animals."

"Yeah," Wolf was the one to shrug this time. "It was my father's idea. He called us his 'wild things'." Wolf spoke it as a memory, but it wasn't a good one. Too often had Corrigan screamed at them all, shouting about the 'wild things' he wished had never been born.

"So, what's this visit about?" Duo asked. "I mean, I don't mind, really. You can bring them by whenever you want for a visit, but it's almost ten. Kind of late and wet to take four kids on a joywalk to see a stranger?" Duo's expression was more serious now. "You said you had nowhere else you could go…what's going on, Wolf?"

Wolf looked away, ashamed at his situation, at his life, at everything. Guilt and shame covered him inside. Such guilt! Why was he here, about to beg for help? Why was he going to ask this man to help them, when it would only be a problem for him. Wolf was always causing problems for people, and he screamed at himself inside, asking why in hell he had come here? Wolf felt like a fool…

"Relax, Wolf," Duo's voice broke through his dark thoughts, and Wolf looked up in surprise to see him smiling gently. "Whatever you say to me, I won't condemn you. Hell, I used to live here, on the streets when I was a kid, and I've experienced my own problems in the lowers. What are your problems, Wolf?"

Wolf swallowed, his heart racing as his hands shook unconsciously, trembling ever so slightly. How could he state his problems…? "My dad," Wolf felt a wave of fear wash over him as he remembered, and he unconsciously closed his eyes as he spoke. "He's dead."

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**Now the story is getting along, so I hope you're interested. I'll post Part IV - Making A Deal in a few days, or sooner if I see more positive feedback. So please review! ^ _ ^**

**Storm**


	4. Making A Deal

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ShadedViolets

**Part V**

**Making A Deal**

**By: Sutoomu**

**Firstly, thank you to all of you who reviewed. I'm very grateful for your comments. ^ _ ^ And to answer a question, of course there will be Heero, Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei in this fic. Oh, just you wait for what is coming up in this story. Please keep reading, and enjoy the fourth installment of my fic. : )**

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"My dad," Wolf felt a wave of fear wash over him as he remembered, and he unconsciously closed his eyes as he spoke. "He's dead." Wolf felt like breaking down, collapsing where he stood as he spoke the awful truth out loud, but he had to stay strong for the kids. He had to stay strong!

"Your dad," Duo sighed, and he went and grabbed the two kitchen chairs from the small table, directing Wolf to sit down. "So…how did your dad die, and when?"

Wolf couldn't tell him the truth! That would guarantee their fate to the streets wrath, and Wolf couldn't let that happen. Kitten and Lexie wouldn't survive out there, and the boys were still so young. "He…he was dead when I got home…," Wolf didn't believe the lie himself, but he spoke it anyways. "He was stabbed."

"Stabbed. Wolf," Duo gestured to his eye, and the beaming red line across it. "Who did that? The Rayvihns didn't give you that."

Wolf blushed more, but in shame at being caught. What could he say to that remark? Obviously his siblings couldn't have done it, and who else would? Wolf didn't want to make up more lies upon lies, not to Duo. But he couldn't say the truth, he couldn't! "I…," Wolf exhaled, burying his head in his hands in despair, breathing deeply to keep himself from breaking out in tears.

"Wolf, your dad did that, didn't he?" Duo kept speaking, and Wolf felt his walls of strength cracking. How could Duo tell? "And he marked your neck, too. What happened, Wolf? Why did you have to run away?"

Wolf felt tears running down his cheeks, and he wiped them away fiercely, but they kept coming. "Fuck," he cursed at everything in general. "You're right," he exhaled shakily, his voice losing its calm. "Damnit," Wolf rubbed at his hands, the memory of forcing the knife through flesh all too recent and clear in his mind. "Damnit…I had to," Wolf didn't bother to stop the tears now. "He was going to sell my brothers to the Wraiths, and Kitten to the whorehouse. I had to stop him, I had to…" Wolf's head sunk to his knees in shame at revealing this act he had committed.

"The Wraiths," Duo repeated the word with a dark hatred in his voice. Every decent person knew what the older Wraith members did to the new recruits, no matter what age. Wolf heard nothing more, then there was a touch on his shoulder. Wolf sat up and looked at Duo, who through wet, stormy grey eyes, and Duo half grinned. "What are you stressin' about, Wolf? Your 'cause was just. You did nothing wrong, and everything right. Because of you, those three kids are saved."

Wolf exhaled, a slow settling falling over him as Duo spoke those words. He had never thought about it that way. But it wasn't that simple, and he told Duo that. "My dad is a known man in the Couric drug ring, and they're going to search for me. They're going to hunt me down and kill me, probably. And the lady from the whorehouse would have found him already, I'm sure," Wolf began to babble out all the questions he had asked himself and found no answers to. "What am I supposed to do? We can't go back, and I have nowhere for them to sleep. People will be searching for me, so how can I get a job? How can I hold a job and take care of Lexie and get the kids to school? I can't pay rent and buy clothes and food for all of us, not while taking care of four kids. Corrigan used to give me money every week. It wasn't enough, but it helped. I don't know what to do, now that he's gone, Duo!"

Duo leaned against the counter, watching Duo with amusement in his eyes. "Relax, kid," he suggested, then he paused as though debating something. "Tell you what…I'll make you a deal, Wolf."

"A deal?" Wolf blinked in surprise. "What kind of deal?"

"I'll take care of all your problems. I'll fly us out of here, take you to my other home, the bigger one. You and the kids can live with me until you're financially comfortable, then I'll help you find a good place. I'll get the kids in school and I'll get them a nanny to watch them when you're busy. Which you will be, because I'm also going to get you a good job."

Wolf stared, shocked and very wary about this strange, all-too-giving offer. "And what do I have to do for my end of the deal?" he asked.

"You have to tell me about your life," Duo came and sat down again, facing Wolf with a strange passion in his expression. "I met you three hours ago, and you've already captured my entire attention and curiousity. You fascinate me, Wolf."

Wolf wasn't sure to take that as a compliment. "My life?" he swallowed.

"Yeah, your life story," Duo spoke, then was quick to add. "I promise on my life that it will all stay private, a simple conversation between you and I. I have no secret intentions about this, only curiousity. I want to know more about you, Wolf, that's all. I've never met anyone like you before." Duo stared at him, waiting for a response.

Wolf was near shocked and very confused, but he believed Duo's words. But could he do that? Could he tell a practical stranger everything he could remember about his past, all the dark moments he had experienced. But doing that would save his brothers and sister. If Duo meant what he said, then the kids would be happier, in a better environment, and safe. If it cost his life story to accomplish that, then he was willing. "Sure. I'll do it, if you help my kids," Wolf nodded, and Duo reached out to shake his hand.

"Great," Duo grinned. "We're agreed. Feel better now?"

Wolf nodded, wiping his red eyes and cheeks. The tears had stopped a while ago as they spoke, but the heavy feeling in his chest had only now felt a little lighter, like he was breathing fresh air. Yet the feeling of fear still waited to take over, as it always was, doubts already trying to creep into his mind. "Yeah," he spoke. "I'm good. Thanks, Duo…for everything."

Duo smiled, and Wolf noticed for the first time how much his smile accented his face, making a rather memorable image. "It's not a problem, seriously," Duo assured him. "I've got to make some calls and pack my stuff, but we'll probably be leaving for the airport in an hour. Is that alright? Is there anything you need here before we go?"

Wolf didn't have to think about it, automatically shaking his head. He had nothing here in the lowers. Nothing but pain, and dark memories. No, the only things he needed was Bear, Fox, Kitten, and Lexie. "I'm fine. We'll be ready when you say the word."

"Great," Duo went to grab another cookie, obviously having a sweet tooth like a child, then he asked another question. "So they're all your brothers and sisters?"

Wolf shook his head. "Not all of them," he exhaled. "Lexie is my baby."

"Your baby?" Duo's eyes widened. "You started young, for sure. How old are you, anyways?"

"I'm seventeen."

"Oh. So where's her mom?"

"She…she died when Lexie was born," Wolf replied softly. "I'm all she's got."

"Oh," Duo paused before he bit the cookie, enjoying the delicious bite while silence echoed in the kitchen. Then he spoke again. "That will be a tale for another night. I've got to get busy. You should tell the kids that we're going on a plane. Have they ever flown before?"

"No," Wolf shook his head. "They've barely been in anything other than the school bus."

"They'll love it, then," Duo nodded, and he pulled a shiny looking cell phone out of his pocket, dialing in numbers as Wolf went back into the small livingroom.

"Daddy!" Lexie cried out his name as she saw him, trying to push herself off of Bear's lap to go to him. Wolf went to her instead, scooping her up.

"Guess what, guys?" he announced without warning. "We're going to a different town, where we're going to live in a house, and go to a new school. It will be better than the lowers, 'kay?"

"Cool!" Fox exclaimed instantly, while Kitten just stuck her thumb back into her mouth.

Bear, however, frowned. "Where? With him? How do you know him, Wolf?"

"Relax, Bear," Wolf assured his brother of his worries. "I've got a plan for us, now. It's going to work out, trust me. I've never lost you guys yet." He wished Bear wasn't so cautious and wary of everything. It was Corrigan's dark influence that had frightened him so much as a child, and Bear wasn't free of his own few scars from their father. Wolf wished he could heal those wounds, before they became too permanent. Hopefully the trip would lighten all their spirits. "We get to go in an airplane, too, to get there. Sounds cool, right?"

"Yeah!" Fox put his fists in the air. Kitten blinked, not really knowing what an airplane was, and Bear went wide eyed.

"Really? An actual airplane?" he spoke, and he couldn't keep the excitement from his voice no matter how hard he was trying.

"Okay, the flight is booked. We leave in a half hour for the airport, alright?" Duo popped into the livingroom, speaking to Wolf before he looked at the kids. "You guys excited? We're taking a private jet, so you'll be able to talk to the pilot and see everything, if you want."

"Awesome!" Fox was overcome by excitement now, and even Bear let a smile out. "So awesome!"

"A private jet?" Wolf repeated softly. What kind of money or influence did Duo have to be able to afford a private jet for transportation? What was Wolf getting into? He knew nothing about Duo! "Where are we going again?"

"To Haven," Duo replied. "You heard of it?"

Heard of it? Haven was the most known city in the world, because of its massive amount of celebrities who worked and lived there. "Yes," Wolf replied faintly, more questions arising that he kept silent, for now.

"Great," Duo then went to reveal the TV from behind a closed cupboard, and he searched through the channels until he found a good, clean kids show. Instantly, all four eyes were attached, as none of them had ever been allowed to touch Corrigan's TV. And everytime Corrigan had turned it on, they weren't allowed to watch what he watched, so they went into their room. "You guys can watch this 'til we're good to go."

Fox was beaming as his eyes stared at the TV, and the brightly animated characters. "So awesome," he whispered, and Wolf was happy that Fox was smiling. He was the most energetic of his siblings, which didn't work well when Corrigan hated noise and distractions.

While Duo packed, Wolf worried with the kids, about everything his overactive thoughts could come up with…yet nothing seemed enough to stop them from going with Duo. And when Duo finally announced their departure, Wolf felt ready to go. For the first time in years, Wolf was leaving the lowers again…and this time, for good.

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**Hm....where did Duo get a private jet? Why are they going to Haven? These and more questions answered in the following chapters. Please comment in a review before you move on to Part V - Private Jets and Limousines. Thank yous.**

**Storm**


	5. Private Jets And Limousines

**ShadedViolets**

**Part V**

**Private Jets And Limousines**

**By: Sutoomu**

**This is the fifth installment. I hope you enjoy this, because I'm staying up late to post it. Yaaawn...anyways, please read and review. Plus, a new character appearance.... ^ _ ^**

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Duo started as a hand touched his shoulder, then his violet eyes focused on Wolf, and he smiled in a half awake way. "Hey," he mumbled, stretching as he put his seat in the upright position again. "What's up?"

"The pilot asked me to wake you up," Wolf replied. "He said to tell you we're landing in a few minutes."

"Oh, thanks," Duo nodded. It had been a quick plane trip. For the first hour, the kids had been everywhere, both the boys asking questions at mile-a-minute speed, with Kitten following with Wolf, who seemed to always keep a good eye on them. After that, however, all four children had fallen asleep, exhausted from their night's events, and Duo had joined them. Wolf, apparently, hadn't slept at all, it seemed, as his eyes had dark circles forming under them from his own exhaustion, and he just looked tired. "We'll wake the kids up when we're on the ground. That okay?"

"Sure," Wolf nodded, and he looked over across the cabin, where the kids slept in their seats. As if on instinct, Wolf was drawn towards them, leaving Duo to go check on them again.

Duo watched Wolf with awe, amazed at the young man. He was only seventeen, an age when most kids who grew up in the lowers began to find their positions in the gangs and drug rings, spending every night intoxicated on something, whether it be drugs or alcohol. But Wolf wasn't anything near your average lower teenager. Wolf was here, instead, giving up everything all the time for the four beautiful children he loved. Wolf gave so much heart and effort into those children, that he had nothing left for himself, yet he kept going. If it wasn't for Wolf's selflessness, these children would have been destined for death or worse things.

A thought came to mind, however, a fact that had to be enforced. Duo wasn't sure how he would do it, yet, but Wolf needed to be taken care of. The Rayvihns had roughed him up pretty badly before Duo had seen them and stopped them, and Wolf hadn't even tended those wounds. Instead, he'd received more, including the harsh knife slash in his face. That was going to scar, and badly if it wasn't cleaned and cared for while it healed. Wolf was so busy taking care of the kids, but no one was taking care of Wolf.

Duo didn't know why he had offered Wolf that deal, or why Wolf had accepted, but he was fascinated beyond logic by Wolf. And like Solo had done for him two decades ago, Duo wished to take Wolf under his wing, and be his caretaker. Besides, even if this hadn't happened, Duo knew he would have most likely pursued Wolf in the lowers. There was something about the teenager, something genuine and unique that was drawing Duo towards him, but Duo wasn't sure what it was yet. Either way, the moment he had seen Wolf, bleeding and bruised, stand up and walk away from the beating without a complaint to go home, Duo knew he was hooked. Curiousity was stirred, and Duo never resisted curiousity.

Which was why he was about to spring the largest surprise ever on his best friend, Quatre R. Winner. Duo had been gone from Haven for over five months, ever since the memorial service was held for his brother. He had left suddenly, without any notice, warning, or conversations in general with his friends, who were sure to be upset with him. The only one he had spoken to in the last five months was Quatre, and that was only once, to arrange for everything he owned to be put on hold until he returned. Duo would never have guessed that Wolf would be what brought him back, and he wasn't even sure he was going to stay, but Quatre would be surprised by the request Duo had to make when they landed.

Duo's real desire was to avoid Quatre and everyone in else in the band, but he had to speak with his ex-band member in order to get his house back. "Wolf, are they all strapped in?" he stood and came over to join them as the pilot called for landing and fastened seatbelts. Wolf nodded, then sat himself down in the free seat beside the angelic Kitten, strapping his own restraining belt on. Duo joined him, and in a few minutes they were slowly coming to a stop in the Haven Airport. Duo watched Wolf staring out the window as they landed, and he commented. "Did you enjoy your first plane ride?"

Wolf looked over at Duo and shrugged neutrally. "It's not such a big deal, I think. I like walking more."

Duo chuckled, amused. This kid was awesome! "You won't have to walk much anymore. Not in Haven," Duo looked out to see the ground solid beneath them, and he undid his belt, standing up. "Let's go. I'll give you a grand tour of the town in the morning. We'll go to the house first and get you settled in." Wolf nodded, then went to shake the kids awake.

"No, five more minutes," Fox whined, pushing Wolf's hand away.

"Fox, we landed," Wolf informed him, and he opened his smaller green eyes. "We're going to go see the house we're going to live in."

"Cool," Fox kicked off the blanket and undid his belt, suddenly awake and running after Duo as he went towards the exit door. " C'mon, Bear!" Duo grinned as Fox called back to his brother, and Bear obliged, running to them as the pilot came out to open the door. Kitten stayed by Wolf, who picked up the still sleeping Lexie and went to join his little brothers. They walked down the airplane stairs into the fresh, night air, the sky dark under the moon. The landing ground was illuminated by bright lights, and Duo felt more at ease and peace than he had for months as he watched Fox and Bear.

"Who is that?" Fox asked, seeing the man first. Duo looked over and exhaled slowly, seeing Quatre for the first time in five and a half months. He walked that way, the troupe following automatically, and Duo grinned in greeting as he neared the blonde man.

"Hey, Quat," he spoke. "Did you miss me?" Quatre hadn't changed much in the last months, except that he wore a black suit now, instead of his casual gear.

Quatre sighed, blue eyes glaring into Duo. "You're a real dick, you know."

Duo's grin faded into a guilty expression. "Yeah, I know. I'll talk to you about it later, I promise. Right now, I need a ride and the keys to my house."

Quatre stared at Duo with a hard expression, then exhaled and held out the keys from his hand. "It's all ready for you," he said. "But if you don't talk to me tomorrow, then I will hunt you down and torture the truth out of you."

Duo nodded sharply. "Yes, sir," he quipped, but his eyes meant it. They all deserved an explanation, he knew it. But that had to wait, for now. Duo had to take care of Wolf first.

Quatre pointed to the black limo that waited at the edge of the landing strip. "Your ride is over there," he informed Duo, then added. "But first, introduce me to your guests."

Duo blushed at having forgotten, and he looked at a confused Wolf. "This is Wolf Graves," he said. "And Wolf, this is my best friend, Quatre Winner. The kids are Wolf's brothers and sister, Bear, Fox, and Kitten. And Lexie is the baby."

Quatre nodded, a pleasant smile on his face now. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Wolf, and you," he nodded towards the kids. "I'll see you tomorrow." And Quatre turned to walk towards a small white car which was his own.

Wolf came up to Duo as Quatre got into his vehicle. "I've heard of him before. He's been on the news," Wolf's tone was wary and confused. "He's a rich businessman, isn't he? How do you know him? And the limo...how can you get a limo?"

"It's just a favor, Wolf," Duo assured him. "Don't freak out now. I've known Quatre for years, and he owes me some favors, so I called it in." Duo looked back at the limo. "I didn't ask for that, though, so don't blame me. Quatre goes overboard occasionally."

"This is so cool!" Fox exclaimed. "We get to ride in a limo! I've never even seen a limo! Did you hear, Kittie?" He grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her along, running towards the sleek black limo. Bear chased after them, and Duo looked at Wolf.

The poor boy still seemed stunned by the transportation, but there was more to it than that. There was something in his eyes, something haunting and dark. It was almost like a fear, but not some simple fear, like the fear of spiders, or of danger, or of death. It was more like a fear of living, a fear of everything that made up the world they lived in. A fear that Wolf pushed through every moment for the kids' sakes.

But that fear had to be killing Wolf slowly from the inside out. Duo's long term goal was to somehow make Wolf relax, instead of his constant wary tenseness. "C'mon, Wolf," he suggested. "Just enjoy the treat. You'll have to get used to limos. They're popular here in Haven," Duo grinned, setting a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go home, huh?"

"Home…," Wolf laughed, and it was empty of mirth, instead a dry laugh of pain. "Sure, whatever you say, Duo."

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**Look, an appearance by Quatre! Hope you liked the fifth part. Part VI - Welcome Home will need a few days to post, so please review, and I'll be back to post it. ^ _ ^**

**Storm**


	6. Welcome Home

**ShadedViolets**

**Part VI**

**Welcome Home**

**By: Sutoomu**

**Thank you to all the people who have read my story, and especially to my reviewers.** **If anyone can enjoy this story as I do, then my work here is done. And hopefully more people will come to like it as it gets further into a storyline.**

**I should also pause here to mention a few notes about this fic. It's obviously AU, and I obviously don't own the GW characters. (though that would be very cool ^ _ ^) . This fic is rated Teen, but it may drift towards the Mature a slight bit as it goes on, although it will stay mostly clean in the scenes. Mature is more for the extremity of the situations or memories.**

**And yes, this fic is Wolf X Duo. And a few other relationships, which will be mentioned in the future installments. Now, please read the sixth part and enjoy!**

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"Home…," Wolf laughed, and it was empty of mirth, instead a dry laugh of pain. "Sure, whatever you say, Duo."

Duo exhaled slowly as they walked towards the kids and the limo, wishing that Wolf was a little more optimistic. Then again, he had to give Wolf credit for being as polite as he was, after growing up in the lowers with a father who would sell children to the Wraiths and whorehouses.

"So is this our limo?" Fox went off with the questions as soon as Duo neared again. "Do we get to keep it?"

"No, we're not keeping it, and you should know that, Fox," Wolf automatically scolded Fox, who pouted. "You can't keep other people's things."

"Hello, 'folks." A young man in a neat black uniform and cap came around the vehicle from the driver's side, smiling at them as he went to open the door. "Where are we headed today, Duo?"

"Hey, Jake," Duo smiled at the familiar face, Jake Jenkins being one of the few friends who wasn't mad at him. "So you switched from being a roadie to a chauffeur, huh?"

"Yeah," Jake shrugged. "Didn't really want to be a roadie for anyone but ShadedViolets." Jake's eyes looked sad at the recent memory of the band's dispersement, but he didn't mention anything accusing towards Duo. "You know how it is," Jake paused, looking over to the excited children. "Go on in," he waved them into the vehicle. "If you want to see what a button does, just ask me first, though, 'kay?"

The children nodded, and Jake helped Kitten climb in before he looked to Wolf. "And are you joining us?" he asked charismatically.

Duo gestured for Wolf to go, and the teenager finally sighed, stepping into the limo with Lexie, who had begun to stir from the constant movement. Duo grinned and winked at Jake, who smiled and mouthed 'nice catch' with that look in his baby blue eyes. "So, where are we off to?"

"My old place," Duo replied.

"You're good to go there?" Jake asked, light concern in his tone. "I mean…you haven't been there since Solo…" Jake didn't finish the sentence, looking off in painful memories.

"I…," Duo hadn't thought of that yet, but it was true. That house was the one that he and Solo had bought seven years ago, after their first ShadedViolets single hit number one on the charts and their album sales went wild. They had lived there for two years alone, and then Hilde joined them with Solo's first son, Dodger. Dominoe was born three years later, and Solo had just bought a new house for his family to move into before baby three was born. Then the accident happened, and he was gone. "I'll deal with that when I get there," Duo exhaled, and he stepped into the limo, letting Jake close the door.

"Duo, this is awesome!" Fox exclaimed, grabbing onto his arm in a great hug. "Thank you!"

"Thank you, Duo," Bear agreed, and Kitten nodded 'thank you' as well. Duo saw Wolf nod, proud of their manners as Jake got in and began to drive the limo out of the airport.

"You're very welcome, guys, but it's no problem," Duo shook his head. "I'm glad to have you guys here, honestly." And he was. Bear was almost like a mini-Wolf, and Fox had so much energy, it reminded Duo of himself when he was younger. And now, somewhat, too. Kitten, especially, made Duo smile, because she was always right beside one of her brothers, often with her thumb in her mouth and her teddy bear under her arm. With her blonde halo of curls, she looked nearly like a little angel.

Then there was Lexie, and what a darling she was. Duo had never seen such a beautiful baby. Her black curls and grey eyes made her such a close resemblance to Wolf, it was no doubt she was his daughter, and the spitting image of him. And such a good little girl, always quiet and very obedient to Wolf.

"Good, 'cause I don't want to leave," Fox sighed in joy, sitting back in the comfy seats. "Never."

"Me neither," Kitten agreed, and Duo noted this was the first she had spoken, and with such a soft, gentle little voice.

"Jake, what does this one do?" Bear had gotten up the courage to take Jake's offer about the buttons, and Jake smiled from the front.

"That one opens the mini fridge. You guys can get a drink from there, if you like," he responded to Bear's question. Bear eagerly pushed it, and Fox jumped in surprise as the side of the limo opened and a cool, small fridge area slid out automatically. The next moment, Fox was gaping over it, 'ooh-ing' and 'ah-ing' in fascination. Soon the boys were engrossed in talking to Jake about everything the limo could do. Though Wolf tried to hide it, he, too, was surprised and awed by the gadgets installed in this top notch ride, and before they knew it, Jake was announcing their arrival at the destination.

Duo stepped out of the limo and looked at his old home. Every image about it seemed as fresh as the last day he was here, joking with Solo and Hilde as they had a picnic in the backyard, his two nephews running around. But now it felt emptier, and colder. "Welcome to your new home," he cut off his thoughts as the boys stepped out, both sets of eyes going wide and mouths gaping wide.

"Holy shit!" Fox exclaimed.

"Fox Graves, you watch your mouth!" Wolf reacted sharply to Fox's words, but his tone

faded as he caught sight of the large manor in front of them. "Holy shit…"

"Hey," Fox whined, and Wolf cut him off.

"I'm older, I can say it," Wolf gave as an excuse, his eyes stuck on the white brick house, it's deep black roof glistening in the sunlight. "Duo, this is too much…" They were all stuck gaping, and Duo shrugged in reply, looking back at his home.

It wasn't that big. Just three stories high, with twenty thousand square feet per level, and an attic and a basement, and a garage and a shop out back. Well, in reality, this house was huge, especially for one person, but it was small in Haven, and perfect to house six people comfortably. It had eight bedrooms, five bathrooms, a kitchen, livingroom, office, game room, rec room, music room, art room, and a pool and hot tub in the spacious backyard, which meant the kids would never get bored.

"I can't believe this," Wolf muttered. "You're rich, aren't you?"

"'Course he's rich, Wolf," Fox explained. "He's got a huge house, and a limo, and his own jetplane! It's so cool." Duo wondered how many more times Fox would say that.

"What are you?" Wolf looked to Duo, and Duo blinked, wondering why Wolf had such an angry, upset expression. "What do you do, to have a house like this?"

"Well," Duo pouted at the look he was receiving. "If you insist on knowing, I was the drummer in a band called ShadedViolets…but I left them over five months ago, so I technically am jobless. But financially stable, yes."

"I'd call this more than 'financially stable'," Wolf muttered, but he sighed and said no more, so Duo brought them to the large oak doors, unlocking it and stepping inside the large entrance room. Watching the kids run around, gawking at the mirrors lining the walls and the shiny marble floor, Duo chuckled, thinking that perhaps the house wouldn't feel empty to him for long. Not with these youngsters around, and Wolf to keep him occupied.

"What say we have some hot cocoa before we go back to bed?" Duo asked, and three voices agreed instantly. "Great. Then I'll show you guys the rooms where you'll sleep."

"Rooms?" Wolf repeated.

"We get our own room?" Fox threw a fist in the air. "Cool!"

"Yeah, and tomorrow we can go swimming," Duo continued to make Fox more excited, then decided he better stop announcing things so Fox would still be able to sleep tonight at all. Showing the whole clan the way into the kitchen, he gestured them to have seat at the genuine hickory table while he set the kettle on and located the hot chocolate.

Duo was happy to see that Quatre had done more than a good job in preparing the house for him, as the cupboards were full of food of all sorts, including a number of snacks Duo was a fan of. That was good, because it meant he had cookies to go with the hot cocoa, which he served shortly to a pile of beaming children. Gracie had woken up when they arrived, and she eagerly agreed with having a cookie, though the cocoa was too hot for her.

The cookies were gone in no time, and Duo led them up to bed with warm bellies, showing each of them the room where they would sleep, and letting Wolf put them all to bed, dressing them in pajamas and tucking them in, one by one. Then Wolf surprised Duo, as he began to sing to them, lulling them to sleep one by one with the same precious lullaby. Duo's gaze was caught by the young man as he finally finished with Kitten last, watching Wolf tenderly kiss Kitten before tucking her teddy in with her. Wolf noticed Duo's rapt look, and commented as he closed the door.

"What?"

"Nothing," Duo shrugged. "You're just really good to the kids. It's amazing, actually."

"They're my family," Wolf shrugged as though he had never second thought it. He probably hadn't. "They don't have anyone else. Our mothers are all dead."

Duo was silent for a moment to that, then he changed the subject. "So, now that the kids are taken care of, how about we take care of you?"

"Huh?" Wolf blinked, then blushed as Duo gently touched his cut face. "Oh, that. It's nothing, I'm fine."

Duo sighed. "Wolf, it's a serious cut that could get infected if you don't take care of it. You're gonna wear yourself right out if you don't take care of yourself, Wolf," he insisted. "So I am now declaring you my patient and myself your doctor. You have to do everything I say."

"Wait…"

"No arguments, Wolf," Duo cut him off. "I'm going to clean you up, got it? Let's go. I have an aid kit in my bathroom." And Duo grabbed Wolf's hand, pulling him along behind as he made his way down the halls to his dark, mostly black bedroom.

"Your room is dark," Wolf mentioned as they passed through.

"And clean, so take a good look, 'cause it will never be clean again, once I'm moved back in," Duo admitted honestly. He wasn't going to hide his habits. "Okay, sit on the porcelain throne, and let the doctor begin his magic." Wolf glanced at the toilet and rolled his eyes, but he obeyed anyways, sitting down while Duo rummaged in the vanity drawers for the aid kit. In a moment he produced it, ordering Wolf to take his shirt off. Doing so revealed a myriad of blackening bruises, most of them recent from the Rayvihn's beating, but plenty half faded from days before. Pink scars marked him as well, in plenty of places, and a specifically long one running down his side to his hip. Duo's attention was caught, and he reached out instinctively to touch it.

Wolf unconsciously pulled back, and Duo looked up to see his grey eyes clouded and sad. "I got that when I was seven," he spoke softly. "When Bear was just a baby. Corrigan came after me with a shovel because I accidentally let the dogs out and lost them." Wolf laughed again, that dry laugh of inner pain. "He loved those dogs so much, he made me search the whole lowers for them the next day, and he wouldn't let me come home without them."

"I'm sorry," Duo spoke the only thing he could think of. "You're very strong, you know?" He took the antiseptic and began to dab at Wolf's cut. "To have grown up in the lowers and survive like you have is an admirable thing. Not many of us can escape the lowers. You and I are the lucky ones who had enough will to survive."

Wolf was quiet for a moment. "You lived in the lowers, too?" he finally asked.

Duo nodded, reaching for a bandage. "My first memory is of waking up on the streets alone. I can't ever remember how I got there, or what my parents looked like, if I had them. I was a street rat," Duo explained. "And I would have died if Solo hadn't found me."

"Solo?"

"Yeah. Solo was an older street rat. He had a little gang of the younger kids formed, and he took care of us, and taught us how to survive. I latched onto him so much, though, that we ended up brothers. That's how I got my name," Duo exhaled slowly, the memories of Solo coming back strong. "Duo, because I was always with Solo, making us a pair."

"Oh," Wolf blinked. "How did you end up here, then?"

"You mean, in this wonderful house with a wonderful rich friend and lots of money?" Duo asked more specifically. "I worked my ass off for it. Solo and I both did, ever since I was seventeen." Duo continued to clean Wolf's other minor injuries once the cut was bandaged. "But that's a story for another night. I figure you can be the story teller tonight."

Wolf blinked, and more fear came up in his eyes. "About what?"

Duo shrugged. "Your life. That was the deal, right?" Duo smiled, trying to put Wolf at ease. "I figure we can talk for a half hour or something every night, until we're done."

"Right," Wolf swallowed nervously. "So how do you want me to tell you…?" Wolf questioned as he sat down.

"I dunno," Duo shrugged. "What's your earliest memory?"

"My mother," Wolf replied quickly without missing a beat. "I remember my mother."

Duo smiled, glad to hear some fond remembrance in Wolf's tone. "Great. Start with your mother, then."

Wolf exhaled. "Right…well, her name was Arika Williams," he began slowly, hesitant at first until it began to flow easier. "She was only seventeen when she had me. I remember she was really pretty, and really gentle. I think I was maybe four, and my father wasn't such an angry man. He had to have been tolerable, because my mother loved him a lot...but then it began to get bad…"

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**And that is Part VI. Part VII - Mother will be a continuing installment onto this one, to come in a day or two. Please review if you enjoyed the chapter. They are also getting a little longer, and the next chapter will be the longest one yet. Thank you! ^ _ ^**

**Storm**

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	7. Mother

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**ShadedViolets**

**Part VII**

**Mother**

**By: Sutoomu**

**Thank you to my so far reviewers. It makes me very pleased to know you're enjoying this fic, at least. ^ _ ^ This next installment is the longest chapter I've posted, and I did it that way because I can't break up a memory chapter. **

**Just so you know, this fic will slightly be like two stories in one. The main story you're reading, and the second story will be a few snippets of Wolf's past as he tells Duo about his life. There won't be too many, only certain ones to emphasize the memory's effect on his life.**

**And there are still plot twists coming up ahead. So please read the next part and enjoy. Review if you please.**

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_A little boy of four stood on a worn brown stool, which had been pushed up against the stove. He was slowly stirring a small pot of canned spaghetti, heating it up to eat for supper. His straight black hair hung over his eyes and ears and the back of his neck, in the messy style of someone who hasn't had a haircut in a long time. He was dressed in a shirt three sizes too big for him, of a deep navy blue color, with ColdCore printed on it in white letters. It hung off one smooth pale shoulder, and his pants were too big for him as well. They had once been a young man's jeans, but Arika had cut them off at the knees to make shorts for him, as it was summer. They were tied around his waist with a leather cord, they hung off his legs, and they ended below his knees, but he liked them. He stood and watched the pot begin to steam with blank grey eyes, his mouth closed as he breathed in the aroma with his nose._

_The sound of the apartment door lock clicking open sent his grey eyes whirling to look at the door. The small boy was off the stool and hiding behind the kitchen archway in a flash. He waited silently as the door swung open, creaking from a rusty hinge._

"_Wolf?" a familiar voice called into the apartment. "It's momma, wild dog."_

"_Momma?" pink lips spoke as the boy peered around the archway wall. His eyes lit upon his mother, a beautiful twenty one year old woman. Her slender form was fitted with her work uniform, her straight black hair plaited in a thick french braid to her lower back so it was out of her way. A grocery bag occupied her arms, and she set it down on the table as Wolf ran to her side._

"_Hello, wild dog," she smiled at him, kneeling to place her kind grey eyes at his level. She embraced him with a hug and smiled, her smooth cheeks shaded with a rosiness from climbing up the four flights of stairs to the apartment floor. She smelt like food. Delicious, expensive, yummy food, from the restaurant she worked in. "Have you been good today? Quiet and clean?" Wolf nodded, his lips tilting in a gentle smile, and Arika's spirits lifted. After a ten hour day at work in a restaurant with a strict and cantankerous old male chauvanist as your boss, she waited for the moment when she got home, and Wolf ran to greet her. "Any messages?"_

_She stood and carried the bag to the counter as four year old Wolf nodded, trailing at her heels. "Mrs. Cayvel called," he spoke softly._

"_About cleaning this Saturday?" Arika asked as she set cans of soup and meals in the cupboard, and Wolf nodded again, his hair waving about his face. "I'll give her a call after supper." She went to the fridge to put away the milk and eggs when she noticed the still cooking pot of spaghetti. "Mm," she breathed in the smell, then took the spoon and gave it a stir. "I see you're making supper. Do I get some?"_

_Wolf nodded eagerly. He couldn't finish a whole can by himself, anyways, and he loved to share everything with his mother. "Cin we haf ketchup?" he asked, his eyes bright with the anticipation of a night eating with his mother._

_Arika's smile faded and she looked at her son, sighing. "We don't have any ketchup, baby," she explained, and Wolf's face fell. "But maybe," she reached out and attacked his sides with her fingers, tickling him. He burst out laughing, wiggling in her hold. "Mrs. Clyne will have some ketchup you can borrow. You go run and ask her, 'kay?" She sent him off with a pat on the rear and returned to her groceries._

_Wolf ran out the door with a grin on his face and reached the neighbouring apartment. He knocked on the door, and a few seconds later an old woman with her hair in a net answered. She looked down at him and smiled sweetly. "Hello, Wolf," she greeted him with crinkling old blue eyes. "Why have you come knocking on my door?" She reached out a bony hand and tousled his hair._

"_Do you haf any ketchup?" he asked with big grey eyes the old woman couldn't resist. "Momma an' me are eatin' sp'ghetti."_

"_Spaghetti? Well, now that's a fine meal," she turned and walked into her house. Wolf stood at the door, watching her walk to her fridge and pull out the bottle. "Here you go, sweetie," she returned, handing him the crimson bottle. Wolf thanked her and said goodbye, and she closed the door with a farewell smile._

_Wolf turned to go back into his apartment and saw his father, Corrigan Graves. He was standing at the end of the hall, his tall, broad shouldered frame shown as a sideways silhouette. Corrigan's eyes were fixed on the window, and he was slowly leaning towards it and leaning back. Wolf watched him shyly from behind his bangs, his mood having gone from excited to cautious. Corrigan wasn't the most friendly father, and he rarely took a notice to his son, to Arika's disappointment. Wolf was wary of his father, having never liked the dominant feeling his large father sent out. He had always been hesitant with Corrigan, especially when Arika tried to make the two of them more close. Corrigan was so big and strong and gruff, with a deep but loud voice and a roar as a yell._

"_Daddy?" he called softly down the hall, bravery striking in him. It vanished the next second and a strong uneasiness settled in his stomach. _

_Corrigan's head snapped to the side at Wolf's voice and his small brown eyes lit upon his son. He stared listlessly at his child, then his brows furrowed in a frown and he turned to walk towards him. The big man stumbled and fell against the wall, his one leg not supporting him. His head drooped down to his chin as he leaned against the wall, panting heavily, and then Corrigan lifted his head and raised his arm._

"_Wolf!" Corrigan barked, his loud voice echoing down the hall. He spoke in a command, a demanding order, but it was lazy and his words slurred together and slowed. The sound made Wolf feel sick. "C'mere…," he trailed off and then hiccoughed. "Dog!"_

_Wolf watched his father take a wobbly step towards him and swallowed. He forced his knees to move and ran back into the apartment, calling for the safety of his mother. He knew something was wrong with his father, and he was scared and confused. He didn't know why his father was walking like that, and his voice struck fear into him. "Momma!"_

"_Wolf, baby, what is it?" Arika petted his head as he met her in the hallway and latched onto her leg, burying his face in her side. She took the bottle from his hands and set it down, then turned her full concern on her upset son. "What's the matter?"_

"_Daddy…!" Wolf began with frightened eyes, but he was interrupted as Corrigan stumbled in through the doorway noisily. _

_Corrigan clutched at the doorknob and panted, his chest heaving. He glared at Wolf and growled. "You…why don' you come when yer called? Ya deaf, kid?" Corrigan slurred angrily. Wolf looked at him and whimpered quietly, hiding behind Arika's leg._

"_Corrigan," Arika smiled at him. "How did the job search go today?"_

"_Job search?" Corrigan scowled, then sneered at her, turning his anger from Wolf to her. "Job search?! I ain't fuckin' searchin' no more! Fuckin' high 'n' mighty asshole pricks don' wan' me? Wha do I care!? Fuck 'em!" Corrigan yelled with his strong voice, and Wolf winced. He was very scared of his father right now, for the first real time._

"_Corrigan, will you watch your mouth?" Arika hissed at him, covering Wolf's ears too late. "What's wrong with you…," she trailed off and her eyes widened. "Corrigan, have you been drinking? Is that whisky?" She looked at the bottle in his hand, and he followed her gaze, staring at the amber liquid for a moment before throwing his head back and taking a drink. He shivered and scowled at her._

"_Yes, and it's mine!" he growled with possessiveness. "So fuck off, woman!" He brushed past her, shoving her aside with his shoulders as he passed. She turned and watched him weave to the couch, falling into it with the whisky bottle in hand. Arika looked at him for a moment as he grabbed the TV remote, then she took Wolf by the hand and led him to his small bedroom. _

_She took him inside and closed the door, kneeling to his level again. "Wolf, can you get your pajamas on and get into bed? Please, for momma?" she asked him quietly, a subtle urgency to her words._

"_It's not dark yet…," Wolf made a soft, halfhearted protest._

"_I know, honey, but it's just for tonight. Daddy's sick and I have to take care of him, 'kay?"_

"'_Kay," Wolf nodded meekly, though he was slightly upset to have to go to bed so early, without having eaten his supper yet. "Wha' 'bout tooth brushing?" he asked._

"_Not tonight, Wolf," Arika replied solemnly. "We'll skip it, just this once. Now you get into your pajamas and get into bed, and I'll be in soon to tuck you in, alright?" Wolf nodded obediently and Arika smiled, kissing him on the forehead before standing. She ducked out the door and closed it, the lock clicking into place just as Corrigan yelled for his dinner again, bellowing out an order. _

_Wolf stared at where his mother had dissapeared. His stomach was feeling sick, and he knew it wasn't because he hadn't eaten his dinner. Something bad was coming, an aura of evil. He could sense it, and feel it inside him, like a presence. It was an omen of darkness on his life. Corrigan had always been strong and easily riled, though he mostly kept his temper in check. He was a very dominant man, of both Arika and Wolf, and he had power over them._

_He walked to the door and laid down quietly on his back on the old brown carpet, his ear beside the crack at the bottom of the door. He stared at the ceiling with stormy grey eyes as he listened._

"…_been drinking, haven't you Corrigan?" Arika was speaking to her husband in the livingroom, standing with her arms crossed and a stern look in her eye. The one thing Arika hated was anyone corrupting her child. She wanted to keep Wolf safe, and Corrigan was making her angry. "Why would you go do this? You had an appointment, for a job…!"_

"_Shut up!" Corrigan roared, rising to his feet in a flash of temper. He glared at her with narrow brown eyes, and she met him eye to eye. "I can't get a fuckin' job! No one wants me, so I don' care anymore!" His shoulders trembled, a vein on his neck standing out in his anger._

"_Corrigan, that's not true!" Arike went from angry to the normally caring person she was. "You're an incredibly talented man. You just have to keep looking. Maybe a different area…"_

"_I'm sick of looking!" Corrigan shouted, slamming a fist on the livingroom table. His drunken eyes burned with fire as he stared her down. "Now shut yer mouth an' get me my dinner," he commanded. "Now!!"_

"_Don't yell at me, Corrigan," Arika replied defensively. She wasn't going to tolerate Corrigan's drunkeness. "I am not your maid. You're drunk, and you're scaring Wolf!"_

"_That kid's a li'l sap!" Corrigan snorted, his head bobbing back. "A momma's boy!" he spat, then blinked as though confused. "What happened to my supper?!" he bellowed._

"_Corrigan, you're acting like a fool…" Arka cried out in surprise and pain as Corrigan's solid, thick hand connected full force with the side of her face. She fell to the floor from the force, gasping for breath as her mind screamed with the pain burning in her face._

"_Don't backtalk to me in my house, woman," he spoke in a low voice, no volume or loudness, just an icy cold tone of danger. "Now get me my supper." _

_Arika looked up at his crazed gaze and swallowed the thick pill of emotion rising inside her. Corrigan was beyond talking to. He was drunk and he wanted his way, no matter what. Arika knew Corrigan could do worse things than just hit her, though this was a horror in itself. He had grown up in the lowers all his life._

_She scrambled to her feet and went into the kitchen. The pot of spaghetti was cool, so she scraped it into a bowl and popped it in the microwave. She leaned against the counter as it heated, her mind reeling with unpleasant thoughts as she barely kept her emotion at bay. Right now, her most important priority was getting away from Corrigan and getting to her son. She grabbed the bowl before the time had even finished, sticking a fork in it and dropping it on the table in front of Corrigan. He didn't notice her, engrossed as he was in the television, but he did pick up the bowl and begin eating. Arika walked past him and went to her son's bedroom._

_Arika opened the door to see Wolf lying in the way, silently shaking as a tear rolled down his cheek. She bent and picked up her son, who clung to her as he cried for her, and they sat on the bed together._

"_Momma," Wolf whimpered in her arms, and Arika hushed him, stroking his back._

"_Baby, it's okay," she whispered to him soothingly. "Momma's here, Wolf."_

_Wolf sat in her lap and looked at the left side of her face with tear filled eyes. He reached up a hand and touched her lip. Arika stared at the blood on Wolf's fingertip and sighed, feeling the cut on the corner of her lip, and then the cut beside her eye. The skin was tender to the touch and felt bruised greatly, and Arika knew she would have a black and blue eye tomorrow._

"_Don't worry," she smiled at him, brushing her cares about her injuries away so as not to worry her little boy. She brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Momma's not hurt. I'm okay, honey. Daddy's just having a bad day, okay?" Arika inhaled and withheld the threatening tears, her throat constricting her breath. A lump of emotion was welling up in her, her thoughts spurring them on. She felt hurt and confused. Corrigan had always been gentle with her, and kind, and now he was acting horribly. Arika was unsure what to do. He had never come home drunk like this before._

_Wolf looked at his mother as she closed her eyes to hold back the tears. He knew she was trying to keep him from worrying, but it was too late for that. He had heard them talking and he knew what Corrigan had done to her, even if he was young in years. His favorite thing was to listen to people, and he knew about alcohol and liquor and beer making people do bad things. He knew his father was drunk, and that he had done a bad thing to his mother that was wrong. Even though he was only four, he knew a lot about drugs and beer. No one noticed or cared if a four year old was around. They spoke without a care, and Wolf made sense of it all. Arika tried to protect him, but he heard, and he knew._

_What Wolf knew right now was that his mother was hurting and sad. Her could see the tears just waiting to flow down her cheeks as she petted him. She was concerned about her son, but her son was more concerned about her. Wolf loved his mother with a genuine, deep caring, and he had a heart of deep compassion in him. He wished he could take all of his mother's sadness away, and lift the aura of sorrow that clung to her._

_Wolf put his hands on his mother's cheeks and Arika smiled at her little boy softly as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. In a moment she was crying, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Wolf wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her as she wept. He could feel her pain and her grief. His mother's heart was breaking and he could sense it. It hurt him to see his mother in pain or distress._

_They sat until Arika's tears ran out, and she collected herself. She wiped away the tears and sniffed, then smiled broadly at Wolf. He smiled back at her, a beam of love framed by black hair. "Let's go to bed, shall we?" she suggested, rising to her feet. "Momma's gonna sleep with you tonight. Is that okay?"_

_Wolf nodded as Arika opened his dresser and pulled out what served as his pajamas. It was just a big soft shirt and a pair of cotton shorts, but it suited the purpose. She pulled off the ColdCore shirt and replaced it with the pajama shirt, doing the same with the shorts. She set him back on the bed and kissed his cheek._

"_I'll be right back, 'kay?" she explained. "I'm going to go change out of my uniform, into my pajamas. I'll be right back, so just wait here for me." She vanished out the door quietly. the TV blaring from down the hall, and dissapeared into her room. _

_Wolf got off the bed and walked up to the door, watching her door through his open door. His grey eyes roiled in worry until she reappeared, dressed in her own soft pajamas. She picked him up and set him in bed, then slipped in beside him. It was cramped with the two of them. Arika had to bend her knees and crouch her head, and Wolf was tucked in against her chest, but they were comfortable together._

_With the noise of the TV in the background, Wolf was restless. The TV meant Corrigan was still up, and Wolf's heart was beating rapidly against Arika's breast as his mind churned. Arika stroked his back reassuringly, humming to him. The humming turned into singing, a lullaby she had always used to lull him to sleep. She had a beautiful voice, trained by vocal lessons and days in the school choir, and Wolf was hypnotized by it. When she sang, he was happy and felt safe._

_While Wolf fell asleep and dreamed in slumber, Arika lay awake, her mind occupied with heavy hearted thoughts. After arguing with herself and convincing herself, she decided to give Corrigan one more chance, and even then sleep eluded her. She finally managed to half doze, her dreams dark and sad, as her son slept safely in her arms._

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_**I'm sorry that this chapter was so sad in a way. This part originates from my collection of story snippets I wrote before I began to rewrite the whole story. The next chapter will be happier, as the relationship between the Graves children and Duo continues to grow. ^ _ ^ Happy times ahead, and new characters still to appear. Part VIII - Nightmares & New Memories will be posted ina few days. Thanks.**

**Storm**


	8. Nightmares & New Memories

**ShadedViolets**

**Part VIII**

**Nightmares & New Memories**

**By: Sutoomu**

**Hello. This story is getting going now. Some drama is coming up in the next few chapters, so please stay tuned. It's going to get very interesting. Technically, this story is two in one in the sense of Wolf's life, and Duo's life. Please read on and enjoy the eighth installment. **

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_Arika finally managed to half doze, her dreams dark and sad, as her son slept safely in her arms._

"…after that night, she never seemed the same," Wolf was saying, almost to himself instead of Duo. "Corrigan took away her joy, and her happiness…she was emptier. And Corrigan kept getting worse, until he was drinking every night, always screaming and yelling, and I would have to hide in my room under my bed when he was on a rampage." Wolf closed his eyes in pain at the memory. "And I would hear my mother arguing with him, pleading and begging with him so much to stop, to go back to how life was…she just wanted to be happy like before, but he would just shout and hit her, calling her horrible names and beating on her…" Wolf's hand was unconsciously clenching into a fist. "I hated him. I hated him, ever since then, for taking my mother's joy away." An unbidden tear rolled down Wolf's cheek and he hastily rubbed it away.

"And you couldn't do anything, because you were little," Duo exhaled softly as he spoke, his own violet eyes dark from the topic.

"I could never do anything!" Wolf exclaimed in a sudden wave of despair. "I've never been big enough, or strong enough to protect my mother or myself…"

"But you took care of your brothers and sister, and you're taking care of your baby," Duo was quick to point out. "Big or not, you brought those four children out of hell."

Wolf sighed, then looked away. "I didn't do anything," he replied quietly. "You're the one who's doing it all. You're the one who's helping them, not me."

"C'mon, Wolf," Duo scoffed. "You know that's not true. I wasn't the one who spent how many years protecting them, and then committing the ultimate sacrifice for them. All I'm doing is giving you guys a small helping hand towards the ultimate future you obviously deserve."

"You're doing too much, Duo…," Wolf began, but Duo stopped him.

"Look, Wolf, you can't give up everything forever without getting something back," he ended the argument. "Just think of what I'm doing as good karma coming back your way."

"Karma…"

A sudden scream pierced the air, and Wolf was up and running out of the bedroom before Duo could blink and react, following him. The scream was coming from the room Fox was sleeping in, and Duo arrived at the doorway just in time to see the young boy flailing in bed, screaming with his eyes shut and his hands grabbing fistfuls of hair. Wolf got to the bed and grabbed Fox, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Fox, it's okay," he spoke firmly to the boy in a soft voice. "Wake up, you're okay. It's just a nightmare, it's just a nightmare." Wolf held Fox as his screams faded into sobs, and the boy shook in his brother's arms. "Hey, it's okay, we're safe. Relax, Fox," Wolf continued to hush him soothingly as Duo watched quietly from the doorway, then two small figures leaned into him.

Looking down, Duo saw Bear and Kitten staring through the doorway with sad eyes, watching their brother endure his dark memories, whatever they were. On instinct, he nudged them into the room, and they went over to Wolf and Fox. Kitten and Bear climbed onto the bed and latched onto Fox, Kitten petting his hair lovingly while she kissed his cheek in an effort to comfort him. As Duo watched them comfort their brother, he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that nothing could ever tear this family apart.

"I have an idea," Duo spoke into the semi-silence, bringing Wolf's attention to him. "I have a room with a large king size bed…how about you all sleep in there, together? It's a new, weird house, and you might want to get adjusted."

"How 'bout it, Fox?" Wolf looked down and asked the boy, whose cries were slowly ceasing. "Do you want to sleep with us tonight?" Fox nodded, rubbing at his eyes as his exhaustion began to hit him again, and Wolf stood with Fox in his arms, following Duo to the new room.

"I'll go grab Gracie," Duo suggested so Wolf wouldn't have to leave Fox. "Is that okay?" Wolf nodded as Bear and Kitten raced into the new bed, and Duo made his way to Gracie's room. She was awake in the bed, sitting up and staring at the door when Duo arrived. She was hesitant when he picked her up, but happy enough when he brought her straight to Wolf, reaching for her daddy eagerly.

"Thank you, Duo," Wolf spoke from the bed, surrounded by small figures, all trying to cuddle up to him. "I'm sorry we got interrupted…"

"Not a problem, Wolf," Duo replied solidly. "You guys try and have a good night, 'kay? I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Wolf."

Wolf gave him a small smile before he turned the lights off. "Good night, Duo."

Duo smiled, closing the door, and he let out a large sigh. As he went off to his own bed, he wondered if he would ever have a day as eventful as this last one.

Wolf shifted under the weight of Fox and Gracie, mumbling tiredly as he felt something stirring. Rubbing at his nose, Wolf blinked and looked up, only to be blinded by a bright flash as a 'click' sounded. Blinking at the sudden spots in his vision, Wolf stared in dumb surprise at Duo, who stood in front of the bed with a small black digital camera, grinning like an overgrown kid. "Wha…?"

"Mornin'!" Duo broke the silence, making the kids stir in slumber. "Here you go!" Wolf stared as Duo came to the side of the bed and held out the camera for him. "This is your official documentation device, to mark the beginning of your new life in Haven with a scrapbook full of pictures. It was my random idea this morning…actually, I think I had a weird dream about it. Anyways, it's yours and the kids, 'kay? No arguments allowed on this one. You guys need to get some memories going on file."

Wolf swallowed, his grey eyes looking at the shiny, small camera. "Wow…," he finally said. "This is amazing, Duo." What else could he say? Duo told him no arguments, and Wolf had plenty, but he wouldn't say them. Not this time. Wolf had very few pictures, barely any at all. Corrigan had been paranoid of them because of his job.

"Yup, I know," Duo smiled, leaning over to show the buttons. "These are your modes, and this is the mode for taking pictures. See? And then you push this button here," Duo pointed to the round one on top. "To take your picture." Wolf clicked it instinctively and a flash and 'click' went off, then the screen revealed his accidental photo of the bedsheets. Duo chuckled and continued with his explanation. "And to see the pictures you've already taken, you switch this to review mode. Then just tab over with these arrows to look at them." Wolf did as he suggested, and smiled as he saw the photo Duo had just taken. The kids were all tucked in under the sheets around him, with Wolf's sleepy eyes just open and looking at Duo.

Tabbing over again revealed a few earlier photos of Duo, mostly of him in the kitchen in random faces. "Oops," Duo laughed. "I forgot to delete those. I was playing around with it before I came up here. Hey, now I can show you how to delete…"

Wolf shook his head. "It's okay," he avoided that plan by moving to rouse the kids, ruffling the boys' hair. "Guys, get up, it's morning. Kitten, wake up. C'mon, Kitten."

Duo stepped back as they all began to stretch and yawn at the same time, three small children staring sleepily at Wolf. "Daddy!" Gracie called out his name sharply, almost like a demand, and he picked her up as he got out of bed, holding his warm angel close.

"Morning," Wolf spoke to them, and they mumbled their 'good mornings' back as they slid out of bed.

"Hey," Duo waved, and Wolf looked over to him. "Anybody care for a morning swim before breakfast?"

"Swimming!" Fox shouted, his eyes wide and awake in an instant. "Can we, Wolf? Please, please, please!"

Wolf looked at Duo in hesitance, then sighed as Fox pulled desperately on his shirt. "Okay, you can go swimming."

"Hey, what's that?" Bear asked, his brown eyes focused on the black camera.

"That's Wolf's new camera," Duo answered, smiling at Bear's rapt fascination. "Are you coming swimming, too?"

Bear nodded, effectively distracted, and they searched for shorts to wear into the pool, as they didn't have any real bathing suits. Running off to the rooms they had been given, they returned with shorts on and beaming faces. Kitten was found shorts and a shirt, and then they all made their way down the spiraling stairs to the backyard.

"Cool!" Fox nearly shouted as he saw the expansive, green yard dotted with large, elegant trees of all kinds. To the left was the gated pool area, and to the right was all lawn, including sandbox, swings, and climbing set. Duo let them inside the pool area, and disappeared into the pool shed while Fox and Bear ran around the outside. Kitten, who had never swam much before, stayed close to Wolf's side, staring at the water in caution. Gracie, however, went to walk right to the edge before Wolf scooped her up.

"Not for you, little one," he shook his head. "You can't swim."

"We can take her in with these," Duo spoke, and Wolf looked up to see him approaching with a pair of blown up floaters. He had changed into his own bathing suit and thrown a pile of toys into the pool, and now Duo was grinning at Wolf. "She'll be fine if we give her water wings."

"Water wings?" Wolf blinked, and Duo held out two small, triangular pool floats with holes inside.

"You slip these onto her arms, and she floats."

"How do you just happen to have a pair of those?" Wolf asked, suspecting Duo hadn't slept, instead planning all this. "And a sandbox, and all these toys."

"My nephew used them," Duo replied easily, and Wolf blinked. "He's two. I used to live here with my brother and his family. I have two nephews and a baby niece."

"Oh," Wolf looked at Fox as he shouted, just in time to see him cannonball into the pool, splashing Bear.

"Go to the pool house," Duo suggested. "There's swim shorts in there. Pick one your size, and come join us. I'll stick these on Gracie, 'kay?"

Wolf shook his head. "I don't think I'm going to swim."

"Aw, c'mon, it's great fun," Duo tried to persuade him. "It'll cool you right off, wake you up, and set you on your day. I swear by a morning swim."

"No, thanks," Wolf denied the offer again. "I don't like swimming."

"Aw…well, okay," Duo sighed, pouting like a child. "What do you want to do, then? If you want a shower or anything, I'll watch the kids."

Wolf was about to disagree, when he thought about how long it was since he had showered. It had to be over a day, and he had been in the alley mud since then. Technically, he was filthy, so he forced himself to nod. He could trust the kids to Duo's care, he could. Nothing would happen with Duo…right? "Sure," he said, swallowing his instinctive fear.

"Cool," Duo spoke. "There's towels and everything in the bathroom cupboard, and you can use my bathroom if you want a bath."

"Thank you," Wolf said, then knelt down by Kitten and Gracie. "I'm going to go have a shower, and you guys are going to stay here with Duo and the boys, okay? And I'll see you at breakfast soon." Kitten stared at Wolf, then nodded, taking Gracie's hand like an older sister. "Bye for now."

Kitten waved, and Wolf heard Duo speaking to them about playing a game in the pool as he left, going back into the house. Having not had a grand tour yet, it took a moment to find the stairs back up to the right hallway, but he located Duo's room easily once he was up there, deciding on a bath. Duo's bathtub looked so big and deep…Wolf had never seen anything so heavenly in a bathroom.

It only took a few minutes to fill the large tub with hot water, and Wolf exhaled slowly as he lowered himself into the near scalding water. It had been over eight years since Wolf had been able to have a bath, and the feeling soaked deep into him, imprinting itself on him as one of the best moments he could remember. Leaning back, Wolf inhaled deeply and exhaled, trying to relax and enjoy this opportunity. But although his muscles began to untense under the warm caress of the water, his mind kept racing with questions. That was all he ever thought about, was questions. So many questions, so many unanswered.

But he always kept asking himself one specific question. What the hell was he doing? But Wolf had asked himself that question many times his entire life, and he never had an answer. He didn't know what he was doing, he just did it. Wolf had never been able to successfully plan out the future, which was why he was so uncertain about it. The future was out of his control, it seemed.

The last twenty four hours was evidence of that fact. Wolf hadn't planned on running into the Rayvihn member, getting his ass kicked, and having Duo rescue him. Wolf hadn't planned on his father trying to sell his kids, or killing him to protect them. He hadn't planned what to do after that, and he had never in his wildest dreams planned that Duo would be such an amazing person, doing all this for them. Wolf hadn't planned anything, but here he was, in a luxurious bath while the kids actually enjoyed themselves with a good influence.

Duo was a good influence, right? That was another current question, one which Wolf could not decide on an answer. What was Duo's goal in all this? What did the man gain by giving out so much from his pocket and heart to five orphan lower rats? Wolf had nothing to give back, and it would take years and years to pay Duo back for everything he planned to do. This 'deal' they had made wasn't a benefit to him, other than curiosity. Was Duo's curiosity worth all this? Or was there some other motive, something unclear…?

Wolf shook his head, trying not to focus on that question out of all of them. Duo was being incredibly generous and kind, and he treated the kids with as much affection as Wolf, nearly. Wolf had no right to doubt him, even in his thoughts. Even if there was another motive, it wouldn't be a bad one. Duo wouldn't hurt them….would he?

Wolf sighed. "Damnit," he whispered into the silence of the bathroom as more thoughts and questions came to mind. Duo was an ex-bandmember of ShadedViolets, he had said, and Duo lived here in Haven, which was nicknamed 'star city'. What did that entirely mean? Was ShadedViolets a popular band? Wolf had never heard of them, but he never heard much music at home. But if Duo was popular, did that mean he lived like other celebrities, with paparazzi and entertainment reporters drawn to his presence? Wolf had never liked the idea of that.

But it didn't matter, Wolf told himself firmly in his head. Wolf had made a deal, and he would hold up his end as long as Duo did this for them. As long as Duo took care of his kids, Wolf would do anything. And with that decision, Wolf began to enjoy the warmth, wondering now about what Duo had planned for them to do the rest of the day…

* * *

**Thus is the first night and morning in Duo's house. I believe this chapter also reveals a bit more about Duo's previous life. See, the house they are in now is the same house he lived in with Solo and his brother's family, before the accident...anyhoo, Part IX - An Eventful Day, will be posted within the week. Please REVIEW, they keep me going. I would love to know if you're enjoying the fic.**

**Storm**


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